Combined flashlight and self-defense spray device

ABSTRACT

The invention pertains to a manually operated self-defense device with a battery operated flashlight instrument and a spray device for a self-defense spray. The device comprises two connected housing parts (2, 13). The first housing part (2) contains the lighting instrument. The second housing part (13) contains a compartment into which a spray can (14) is inserted; this spray can compartment has a spray opening (19) and an actuating opening (20). With this arrangement the lighting instrument and the spray device complement and support each other to provide an effective defense.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a manually operated self-defensedevice, specifically to a novel combination of a flashlight andirritating spray device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Due to the rise in crime and violence people are in danger of beingattacked, especially at night. A simple protection consists in aflashlight by means of which an attacker can be seen and possiblyidentified quickly at night. Flashlights are therefore regularly carriedby safety units such as police, security personnel etc.

Also known are spray cans with irritating gases, e.g. tear gas, peppersprays, etc., which can be aimed and sprayed at an attacker. Theseirritating gases are designed to incapacitate an attacker for at least acertain period of time. The sprayed irritating substances usually actintensively on the eyes, so that an attacker's sight is substantiallyaffected. To obtain a sufficiently strong effect it is necessary for thespray to reach open eyes.

A manually operated self-defense device combining a light and a spraydevice in one unit is already known. Such a device is marketed under thedesignation: "Irritating gas and light pistol TW 1000 Flash Light". Thisdevice is in form of a pistol, with the light and spray mechanism beingat the muzzle of an imitation pistol barrel, whereby the direction ofthe spray and of the light beam corresponds to the direction of thebarrel. An On/Off switch for the light portion is located in the back ofthe handle. The actuating lever of the spray mechanism has the aspectand position of a pistol trigger. Furthermore an adjustable safetybutton for the actuating lever of the spray mechanism is located belowon the pistol handle. Special cartridges are required for the irritatingspray gas to be inserted into the pistol handle. This combination oflight and spray mechanism has the disadvantage that an attacker iswarned in advance by the highly visible pistol shape. It is alsopossible that when mistaking the device for a fire arm, an attacker maybe tempted to overreact to the disadvantage of the person defendinghimself.

It is considered to be a further disadvantage that the spray directionand the direction of the light beam are identical. When the irritatinggas pistol is aimed at the face of an attacker he closes his eyes underthe blinding effect so that the effectiveness of the irritating gassprayed is much reduced at the same time and is therefore insufficientfor an effective defense.

Another disadvantage is the complicated handling. The gas cartridge canonly be inserted, and the connection to the actuating lever on thedevice can only be effected by means of a tool and with the addition ofa drop of oil, and additional adjustments are necessary for atrouble-free operation. If a gas cartridge has not been inserted verycarefully, the danger is created that the spray mechanism may notfunction when needed. Furthermore, the actuation itself is complicatedand can lead to confusion in the excitement of an attack. Since thelight switch is actuated with the thumb, and the actuating element aswell as the safety button for the spray mechanism are actuated with theindex finger of the same hand and with the same hand position, errors inoperation may occur. Furthermore, the force required to actuate thelight switch at the back of the pistol handle is applied on the otherside of the handle in the opposite direction of the actuating element ofthe spray device (and vice versa), so that in the hectic moment of anattack errors in operation and unintentional spraying may occur as aresult.

The flash light and the spray device are permanently combined so thatthe two mechanisms cannot be separated from each other and be usedseparately if need be. Furthermore, flash lights with the conventionalcylindrical form are known, with a light head, a cylindrical centraltubular element to hold the batteries, and a screw cap at the end. Forselective utilization of many different batteries in adaptation to adesired light beam length, it is a known method to make the central tubein several parts and to connect the individual parts to each other asneeded by means of threads.

It is the object of the present invention to further develop aself-defense device of the type mentioned above so that operation isimproved while structure remains simple and functioning reliable. Thisobject is attained through the characteristics of claim 1.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

According to claim 1 the light beam projector in form of a cylindricalflash light housing is located in a first housing part, with a reflectorat the forward end, providing light rays projected in axial direction,with a light switch on the mantle surface of the cylinder, and with acylindrical battery compartment. A second housing part is used as a capat the end opposite to the reflector, and is connected with the firsthousing part in such manner that it can be removed. The second housingpart has a holder to receive and attach a helicoidal spring serving as acompression spring and mass connection. Furthermore, the second housingpart contains the spray can compartment for the insertion of a spraycan. At least two openings to the outside are provided on the spray cancompartment, whereby a first opening is a spray opening near a spraynozzle located on the spray can. A second opening is provided as anactuating opening through which it is possible to reach the actuatingelement of the spray can.

This device can be produced easily and at low cost, whereby the secondhousing part can be retrofitted with appropriate adaptation as anaccessory of a normal flash-light such as available on the market.Errors in operation are practically excluded due to the position andarrangement of the actuating elements. The device can be given theoverall aspect of a flash light, so that an attacker will have no visualindication of the additional self-defense device present, and will thusbe deceived. There will be no association with a dangerous fire arm, sothat an attackers will not be provoked at an early stage into adangerous over-reaction. The insertion of commercially available spraycans is simple and can be effected without tools.

An especially advantageous embodiment is obtained with thecharacteristics of claim 2, in that the second housing part is alsocylindrical and has approximately the same diameter as the first housingpart, so that an overall cylindrical housing is provided. This createsthe visual impression of a normal flash light. In addition, the devicecan be carried and used as a normal flash light when no self-defensesituation exists. A commercially available spray can containingself-defense gas is here inserted in axial direction into the secondhousing part. The spray opening and/or the actuation opening are on thesurface of the cylinder wall so that the direction of spray and/or thedirection to reach inside are approximately perpendicular to the housingaxis. This makes easy operation of the spray can possible by reaching inthrough the surface of the cylinder wall.

On the other hand, the advantage exists here that the direction of sprayis offset by 90° from the direction of the light beam. In case of anattack, the approaching attacker is generally illuminated by a lightbeam directed at his face. In order to spray, the device must be thenpivoted by 90°. Since at that moment the blinding effect on the attackeris eliminated, he will automatically open his eyes wide so as to seizeup a situation which has now changed for him. The effect of the gas isnow strongest, as the spray enters the attackers wide open eyes.

According to claim 3 the spray opening and the actuating opening areapproximately across from each other on the surface of the cylinderwall, and are offset relative to the longitudinal center of the secondhousing part. With a matching design of the end connection, the secondhousing part can be connected either in such manner that the sprayopening is closer to the end of the device, or more in the center of thedevice. This can be adapted during assembly as the user desires. Thespraying device is then actuated accordingly, with the light beamdirected up or down.

According to claim 4 the actuation opening is sized so that the spraynozzle can easily be reached through it. With this type of position andactuation, an accidental actuation of the spray device or sprayingoneself is excluded.

Although it is already impossible to commit an actuating error, since itis necessary to reach inside for the spray can it may be necessary,depending on the circumstances indicated in claim 5, to provide theactuating opening and/or the spray opening with a sliding cover. Thiscould be, for example, a sliding cover ring for both openings.

According to claim 6, all authorized commercially available irritatinggases, in particular tear gas or a pepper spray can be used asself-defense sprays. According to claim 7 the second housing consists ofa tubular part and of an adapter part, whereby the adapter part isprovided on the one hand with the holder with the helicoidal spring andthe detachable connection to the first housing part, and on the otherhand comprises a detachable connection to the tubular part. The adapterpart according to claim 8 which is also of a cylindrical designcorresponding to the other housing parts, is preferred. It isfurthermore advantageous according to claim 9 to provide a lockingarrangement on the second housing part identical to the one on the firsthousing part, and furthermore to establish the connection immediatelyaccording to claim 10.

Thus, the above characteristics serve to obtain a set of modules bymeans of which a commercially available flash light can be easilyequipped to be a self-defense device. For this it is merely necessary tounscrew the screw cap of the flash light and to remove the helicoidalspring. The helicoidal spring is then inserted into the adapter part andthe latter, instead of the screw cap, is screwed on the body of theflash light. The tubular part with the inserted spray can is thenscrewed on to the adapter part, and is again closed at its end by meansof the screw cap. The tubular part can then be screwed on so as to bepivoted by 180° depending on the desired actuation. Instead of thethreaded connection of claim 11, known connecting techniques such assnap-on locks, bayonet locks etc. are also possible as alternatives.

According to claim 12 it is here a known advantage to keep a spare bulbin the interior space of the helicoidal spring, in particular embeddedin a foamed material, and to keep it available. In a further developmentaccording to claim 13, a rubber bushing is proposed as an elasticsupport and seal between at least a partial area of the spray can andthe surrounding wall of the spray can compartment.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention is explained in further detail through an example of anembodiment showing additional details, characteristics and advantages.

FIG. 1 shows a manually operated self-defense device before assembly,with a tubular part, in three views,

FIG. 2 shows the assembled device according to FIG. 1 in a firstoperational position and

FIG. 3 shows the assembled device of FIG. 2 in a second operationalposition.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The self-defense device 1 shown in FIG. 1 consists of a first housingpart 2 in form of a cylindrical flash light housing with a lamp head 3.In the latter a reflector and a lamp of a light projector (not shown)are located, with the light beam being directed in the direction of theaxis of housing 4.

The first housing 2 furthermore contains in its hollow cylinder acylindrical battery compartment 5 to receive several cylindricalbatteries one behind the other (not shown). On the outside of thehousing a known electrical sliding switch 6 is provided to turn thelight beam on and off.

At the rear end of the housing part 2 are inside threads 7 into which amatching cylindrical adapter part 8 with an appertaining threadedconnection piece 9 can be screwed. The threaded connection piece 9 ismade so that it can contain a helicoidal spring 10 which is a known massand compression spring establishing the mass connection of theelectrical circuit for the light projector when the batteries areinserted and the adapter part 8 is screwed in.

The adapter part 8 and a tubular part 12 which can be screwed on via anadditional identical threaded connection piece 11 together constitute asecond housing part 13 to receive and hold a cylindrical spray can 14(drawn in broken lines) which can then be actuated.

The tubular part 12 is cylindrical and has the same diameter as thecylindrical flash light housing. The tubular part 12 is provided withidentical internal threads 15, 16 at both ends, matching the insidethreads 7 on the first housing part 2. With this arrangement the tubularpart 12 with the adaptor part 8 in the arrangement shown in either FIG.1 or FIG. 3 can be pivoted by 180° and be connected as shown in FIG. 3.A screw cap 17 is provided with a threaded connection piece 18 which canbe screwed into all the existing inside threads 7, 15, 16.

In the three views of the tubular part 12, each of which is rotated by90° in FIG. 3, the position and configuration of a spray opening 19 anda larger actuating reach-through opening 20 can be seen. The sprayopening 19 and the actuating opening 20 are across from each other andare offset relative to the longitudinal center of the tubular part 12.This is due to the position of the spray nozzle 21 and of the actuatingelement of the inserted spray can 14. The direction of spray anddirection of action upon the actuating element 22, perpendicularly tothe housing axis 4 can be seen here.

When the screw cap 17 into which the helicoidal spring 19 can beinserted in exactly the same manner as in the adapter part 8 is placedas a closure on the first housing part 2, this creates a separateconventional flash light without spraying mechanism. Correspondingly, byplacing the adapter part 8 (without helicoidal spring 10) and the screwcap 17 on the tubular part 12, the spraying mechanism which thus becomesfunctional can be used separately and without the lighting part.

The device's manner of functioning when mounted together is describedthrough FIG. 2 (according to the arrangement shown in FIG. 1): The lightbeam 23 is directed at the face of an attacker until he is within reachof the spray 24. The device is then pivoted by 90° so that the lightbeam points down. The blinding effect on the attacker thereby stopssuddenly so that he opens his eyes wide as a natural reaction. Now theactuating element 22 of the spray can 14 is actuated with the indexfinger 25 (or alternatively with the thumb) which is introduced into theactuating opening 20, so that the spray 24 emerges in the direction ofthe face and wide open eyes of the attacker. Obviously the arrangementand design of the device overall complement and support each other herein order to obtain an optimal effect so as to render an attackerinoffensive.

As explained, the tubular part may also be mounted in a position whichis offset by 180°. Actuation in this position is according to FIG. 3 sothat the light beam 23 points up in that case. The other functions areas indicated in FIG. 2. In this manner an effective, manually operatedself-defense device is provided.

I claim:
 1. A combined flashlight and self-defense spray devicecomprising:a) a first housing part comprising a battery operated, manualflashlight with two ends, one being a light emitting end and the otherend being a connecting end; b) a second housing part detachablyconnected to said first housing at the connecting end and having acompartment adapted to receive a spray can, said first and secondhousings having a common longitudinal axis; c) said spray cancompartment being provided with an actuating opening and a sprayopening; d) said actuating opening being positioned to allow theinsertion of a finger to press the actuating button of the spray can;and, e) said spray opening being positioned to allow the spray nozzle todischarge the contents of the spray can therethrough in a directionperpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the housings.
 2. The combinedflashlight and spray device of claim 1 wherein the first and secondhousings are generally cylindrical in shape.
 3. In a combined flashlightand self-defense device having a housing; a battery-operated lightprojector which can be manually turned on and off and which provides apredetermined direction of the light beam; an appertaining switch on theoutside of the housing; a closable battery compartment in the housing;an arrangement for a manually operated spray device for the spraying ofa self-defense spray with a spray nozzle pointed in a predeterminedspraying direction to the outside of the housing; a closable spray cancompartment in the housing, whereby the self-defense spray is containedunder pressure in a spray can which can be inserted into the spray cancompartment, the improvement comprising:a) a light projector in the formof a cylindrical flash light housing located in a first housing part fordirecting light rays in the axial direction of the axis of the housingpart, a light switch on the cylinder housing surface, and a cylindricalbattery compartment within the housing for cylindrical batteries; b) asecond housing part in the form of a closing device for the firsthousing part located at the end of the first housing part opposite thereflector and connected to the first housing part in a removable manner;c) a holder provided on said second housing to receive and attach ahelicoidal spring pointing to the first housing part and acting as acompression spring which establishes the electrical mass connection inthe electrical circuit of the light projector when the batteries areinserted into the battery compartment and the two housing parts areconnected to each other; and, d) a spray can compartment within saidsecond housing part for the insertion of a spray can having a nozzle, atleast two openings to the exterior of said housing are provided with thefirst opening being a spray opening in the area of the spray nozzle, anda second opening serving as an actuating opening through which onereaches into the area of the actuating element of the spray can.
 4. Thecombined flashlight and self-defense device of claim 3 wherein thesecond housing part is also cylindrical and has approximately the samediameter as the first housing part, so that an overall cylindricalhousing is provided; and,wherein the spray opening and the actuatingopening are on the cylinder sleeve surface, so that the direction ofspray and the direction in which one reaches inside are approximatelyperpendicular tot he housing axis.
 5. The combined flashlight andself-defense device of claim 3 wherein the spray opening and theactuating opening are substantially across from each other on thecylinder sleeve surface and are offset relative to the longitudinalcenter of the second housing, whereby the position of the spray can isselected to point with the spray can button according to the position ofthe openings with the spray can head.
 6. The combined flashlight andself-defense device of claim 3 wherein the actuating opening willaccommodate an index finger and wherein the spray opening is smaller insize than said actuating opening.
 7. The combined flashlight andself-defense device of claim 3 wherein an irritating gas selected fromthe group consisting of a tear gas and a pepper spray is used as theself-defense gas.
 8. The combined flashlight and self-defense device ofclaim 3 wherein the second housing part comprises a tubular part and anadapter part, said adapter part containing a holder with a helicoidalspring and said detachable connection to the first housing part isprovided with a detachable connection to the tubular part.
 9. Thecombined flashlight and self-defense device of claim 8 wherein theadapter part is cylindrical to match the other housing parts.
 10. Thecombined flashlight and self-defense device of claim 3 wherein the freeend of the second housing part is open and wherein the screw cap isprovided for closing said free end and said cap has the same lockingdesign as the connection to the first housing part, wherein the cap canbe used with the helicoidal spring inserted on the first housing partwhen the two housing parts are separated.
 11. The combined flashlightand self-defense device of claim 10 including a connection means betweensaid adapter part and the tubular part and wherein said means isconfigured so that the tubular part can alternatively be mounted offsetby 180°.
 12. The combined flashlight and self-defense device of claim 3wherein all the connections in said device are made with identicalthreads.
 13. The combined flashlight and self-defense device of claim 3including a replacement lamp contained in the interior of the helicoidalspring.